


Unsaid

by NightlyEvilTM



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Death, Declarations Of Love, Sad, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 10:18:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18871198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightlyEvilTM/pseuds/NightlyEvilTM
Summary: An alternative take on 8x03 "How, how can I tell you all that I want to say?"





	Unsaid

He turns around with the intention to just look around. But then, with just the corner of his eye, he sees her. He doesn’t realize he had moved, his brother’s voice distant. There she is, observing the training. The training for a battle neither of them is likely to survive.

Slowly, he goes to her. She is observing Podrick. He can see her smiling, proud of what her squire has accomplished. But when she senses his presence, she stops smiling.

_You should never stop smiling, Brienne._

**“Ser Jaime”**

There is some tension in the way she addresses him. He wishes she would just drop the formalities.

_After all that we’ve been through, I am just Jaime. To you, Brienne, I am just Jaime._

**“Lady Brienne”**

He looks at Pod. He almost smiles when he sees her teaching in the way the boy hold his sword, in the way he moves.

**“He’s come a long way”**

_Because of you, because you taught him, because you were the best example he could have._

**“He’s alright. Still has a lot to learn.”**

She turns to leave. He follows her – the pull is just too strong. And there is so much he wants to say to her.

**“I am sure you’ll teach him.”**

She keeps walking. Maybe she is avoiding him. But he just can’t let her go.

**“I’ve been told you’re commanding the left flank”**

**“I am. It’s a good ground. The rise, it should give us some advantage. If we keep a tight formation we might be able to beat them back.”**

He looks the direction she showed him and he agrees with her.

Suddenly, she turns around.

**“What are you doing?”**

There is anger in her question. He looks at her, wondering what he has done.

**“I think you know.”**

**“I truly don’t”**

**“We’ve never had a conversation last this long without you insulting me, not once.”**

There are anger and confusion in her voice, in her eyes.

_Because it was easier to insult you than to face what was right in front of me._

**“You want me to insult you?”**

**“No!”**

**“Good!”**

He stares at her.

_How, how do I tell you all that I want to say?_

He turns his eyes away.

**“I came to Winterfell because…”**

He looks at her again.

_Because of you._

_Because you are everything I’ve ever dreamed I could be._

_Because you believed in me when no one else did._

_Because I couldn’t let you go in that battle without being right next to you and trying to protect you._

_Because you are everything to me._

 But he can’t tell her that. He has no right to.

**“I am not the fighter I used to be. But I’ll be honored to serve under your command, if you’ll have me.”**

She looks at him. Her eyes are like the deep waters around Tarth, and piercing at the same time. She nods somewhat nervously.

_Thank you for having me._

_Thank you for vouching for me._

_Thank you for changing me._

That’s what he wanted to say.

**“I’ve got to get back.”**

But he says nothing as he watches her walk away.

* * *

They fight side by side. They save each other more than once. But when they are pushed to the walls, it seems like they are going to die anyway.

Until it all stops. 

Suddenly, the dead drop as one on the ground. For a few moments, everything is completely still. And then the realization comes.

They did it, they won.

He looks at her and smiled. He can see the tiniest smile on her face, too. He starts walking. He has to go to her. He has to pull her in his arms as he thanks the Gods that she survived. There she is, just one step more, and he will hold her.

And then he feels the world starts to spin, his legs crumble. He drops on his knees. He touches his side and feels the blood pouring.

Suddenly, she is there, on her knees next to him. He looks at her. In all the fire, blood and sweat, her eyes shine like true sapphires.

**“Ser Jaime, hold on. Pod, get some help, now!”**

He can feel himself falling. She takes him in her arms, she tries to stop the blood pouring from his side. But he knows it is not going to stop.

**“Brienne…”**

**“Don’t talk, save your strength, Ser Jaime.”**

**“Just Jaime. Please, call me Jaime”**

_Please, just once let me be just Jaime, and you just Brienne. Just you and me._

**“It’s going to be alright, Jaime”**

She is crying.

_Don’t you know I am not worth a drop of your tears?_

_Don’t you know I would turn the world around if it means you never cry again?_

**“Don’t cry, Brienne. Please, I never want to see you cry. I want to see you smile, hear you laugh.”**

_I’ve never heard you laugh. And now, I am never going to._

She is trying to smile through her tears as she caresses his face.

**“We will laugh together, you just hold on.”**

_In another life, we will._

_We will laugh, and we will dance, and we will love._

_But not in this one._

**“It’s alright, Brienne. I am ready.”**

**“No, you are not dying.”**

With the last of his strength, he puts his hand on hers.

**“I am, but I am dying just the way I always wanted to die”**

_It was meant to be this way, Brienne._

**“In the arms of the woman I love”**

He meets her eyes one last time.

**“I love you, Jaime. I always have and I always will.”**

He smiles.

_I love you too._

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> With the way they massacred all that is and was Jaime Lannister in the last two episodes, I would've preferred this was the way his story ended


End file.
